Can opener



R. H. FROST ETAL 3,423,825

Jan. 28, 1969 CAN OPENER I Filed Jan. :50, 1967 I Sheet 0f 5 a. i r---- 1 "I I i 91 v H D 9 0: M 36 E D 37 r I B i 5 E L T I *2 B r F5 mW AT TORNE Y5 INVENTOR S Richard H. Frosf John Maguire 1 fiwa 5 Jan; 1969 I R. H. FROST ET AL CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 30, 1967 United States Patent 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved can opener which includes a unitary body frame having a face plate mounted therein, which face plate carries the operative components. A driver head outstands from the face plate and includes a serrated roller adapted to grip the rim of a can and to turn the can as the head rotates. A lift arm pivotally secured to the face plate above the driver head carries a cutter head, having a reversible knife blade which pierces and cuts the can lid adjacent to the rim and alongside the roller, and a spacer, whose undersurface may press the can rim against the roller when the lift arm is lowered. The lift arm is removable without tools, to permit the cutter head to be cleaned. A circumferentially grooved guide wheel on the driver head adjacent to the roller is engaged by a guide plate on the cutter head when the arm is lowered to hold the knife alongside the roller. The driver head, mounted on a shaft, is connected, through a speed reducing gear train, to an electric motor carried within the shell. A magnet on the lift arm catches the severed lid. The motor is turned on by a switch carried by the face plate and having a finger contacted by the lift arm when it is depressed to a position where the cutter head and driver head are properly interengaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in providing a semi-automatic can opener with a novel and improved arrangement of a cutter and driver adapted to more effectively grip the rim of a can, rotate the can as the rim is forcibly moved between the cutter and driver with the lid being severed therefrom. The invention further resides in a simplified arrangement of components to support, effect engagement of, and to drive these several operational members in an effective, positive manner, while reducing structural strain on the parts.

SPECIFICATION This invention relates to can openers, and more particularly to semi-automatic, motor operated can openers, a primary object of the invention being to provide in a compact, well formed can opener improved cutter and driver arrangements which quickly remove the lid of a can without undue strain and wear to the components thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved can opener adapted to effectively and tightly grip the rim bead of a can placed therein and to hold this bead against the serrated roller to produce a positive lid cutting action as the roller moves the rim of the can about the cutter and to retain an intermeshed arrangement of the components of a drive head and cutter head to offset lateral forces between the cutter knife and the roller without imposing lateral strains upon the framework of the can opener.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutter head mounted on an actuating lever or arm without impairment of visibility in placing a can in position for the lid to be removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an arm which is removable without tools, to permit the cutter knife to be cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical drive whose operation is initiated by a switch means responsive to the cutter head and driving head being fully intermeshed and the can lid is pierced before such switch means is actuated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, manually operative actuating arm adapted to be placed in position through an opening operation and to thereafter retain the can within the opener until it is released by the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means and facility for holding the lid as it is removed from the can, without interfering with visibility in placing a can for removal of its lid.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved can opener which is a simple, sturdy, low cost, neat appearing, rugged and durable unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, our invention comprises constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements defined in the appended claims and illustrated in preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a semi-automatic can opener constructed in accordance with this invention, with an actuating arm shown in a down position, as for a can opening operation, and with broken lines indicating the arm in an up position, as for release of the can or placement of another can in position for opening;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the can opener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the can opener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric, rear view of a body shell per se of the can opener, with portions of a side wall broken away to show parts otherwise hidden from view;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale and with the outline of a can being cut therein shown in broken lines;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, offset vertical section, taken along line 66 of FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is an isometric, rear underside view of the actuating arm of the can opener of FIGS. 1 and 2, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8 is an exploded isometric view of the components forming the driving and cutting heads of the can opener, on a larger scale than FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, offset horizontal section, taken along line 99 of FIG. 1, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevation of an upper corner of a face plate, taken from the position of line 1010 of FIG. 9, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, vertical section detail, taken along line 1111 of FIG. 9, but on an enlarged scale, and showing the actuating arm in rest position; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken transverse to FIG. 11 along line 1212 of FIG. 11.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the can opener of this invention is formed as an upright, boxshaped member which is of a size convenient for setting upon a drainboard or table to hold and open conventional sizes of cans. The basic members of this unit, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, include a body shell B and a face plate F mounted on the upper front portion of this shell, which face plate carries the several components which cooperate to form the can opener mechanism. A driver head D outstands from the outer surface of the face plate and is adapted to engage the rim of a can during an opening operation. An actuating arm A is pivotally connected to the top of the face plate F, at one side, while a cutter head C mounted on the arm is moved to an operatively associative position with the driver head D whenever the arm A is lowered against the top of the face plate. A

magnet M, also mounted on the arm, is adapted to grip and hold the lid of a can when severed from the can. As in FIG. 5, an electric motor E and gear train T are mounted on the inner side of the face plate to operate the driver head D, while a control switch S, as in FIG. 6, is mounted on the inner side of the face plate, near the top thereof, and is adapted to be closed by depressing the arm to start the motor when the can is ready to be opened. The motor is supplied with current through an electrical cord 15, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 6 and which may be plugged in a conventional power outlet, it being anticipated that the motor and switch will be designed to operate by any conventional source of electrical power.

The body B, as in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, is formed as a unitary shell of suitable thickness, as of molded plastic, to provide a rigid structure, with uninterrupted side walls 16, a top 17, a bottom 18 and an intermediate shelf 19 dividing the body into upper and lower compartments. The upper compartment is open at the front to receive the components mounted on the inner side of the face plate F of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the edges of this frontal opening being proportioned to fit snugly against the rear edges of the face plate, A rear wall 20 closes the rear of the upper compartment and is provided with suitable vents 7.1 and conventional slots 22 for hanging the can opener on screws extending from a room wall or cabinet, as well as a series of forwardly projecting, hollow bosses 23 which abut rearwardly extending, end tapped bosses 24 on the face plate, as in FIG. 5, to interlock the members together, as by machine screws 25 extending through and into the respective bosses. The lower compartment, below the intermediate shelf, is closed by a lower front wall 26 but is open at the rear. The lower compartment is adapted to conveniently retain electrical cord 15 when the unit is not in use, the cord extending upwardly through a suitable opening 27 in the intermediate shelf, to connect with the switch S and motor E in a conventional manner. The base of the body may also be formed with a frontal toe 28 and feet 29 to better stabilize the unit and to enhance its appearance.

In accordance with this invention, the driver head D, as in FIG. 5, includes a knurled or circumferentially serrated drive roller 30 for rotating a can 31 through engagement with the underside of the can rim 32, as with the roller 30 rotating in the direction of arrow 33 of FIG. 1. Both roller 30 and a grooved guide roller 34 are mounted on the end of a shaft 35, driven by gear train T, while the side of the can engages a concave or flat front surface 36 of a boss 37 extending outwardly from face plate F. The can lid is severed by a plate knife 38, the details of the preferred construction of which will be described later, while knife 38, a spacer block 39 and a knife guide plate 40 are mounted on arm A, as by bolt 41, with magnet M mounted on the underside of arm A in front of knife 38, in a position to attract and hold the can top when severed. As will be evident, with arm A in the lifted or dotted position of FIG. 1, the can may be moved directly toward the can opener and can rim 32 placed on top of driving roller 30, without twisting the can or inserting it under the knife or any other complicated maneuver. When arm A is in the lifted position, neither the can nor the knife or magnet mounted thereon impede the visibility of the drive roller 30. When the can is so placed, the rear side of the can is almost automatically pushed against surface 36 of boss 37, so that the arm A can then be lowered and knife 38 pushed through the can top by downward pressure. As soon as the can lid is pierced by the knife, the arm A will close switch S to start motor E and start drive roller 30, thereby starting the can turning. However, before the switch is closed, guide plate 40 will have entered the groove of guide roller 34, to insure that, as the can top is pierced, knife 38 will be restrained from any movement outwardly or away from drive roller 30 and this restraint will continue as the can lid is cut. Thus, the cut will be made immediately inside the can rim and maintained immediately inside the can rim around the periphery of the can lid. When the cut is completed, arm A is raised, as to the dotted position of FIG. 1, and the opened can removed by moving it forwardly, without the necessity of twisting the rim out of any closely spaced parts. The severed can lid, adhering to magnet M, may be removed and discarded when desired.

The face plate F is a comparatively heavy, rigid member formed with a peripheral, rearwardly extending flange 43 to increase its thickness and rigidity, as in FIG. 6. The rear edge of this flange is adapted to abut against the front edge of the frontal opening of the body shell B. Ribs 44 extend across the inner side of the face plate to further enhance its rigidity, connecting with the rim and mounting bosses 24, as well as shaft bosses 45 and a motor mounting boss 46 of FIG. 5, all of which outstand from the inside of the face plate. In addition, an elongated boss 47 may be formed at one upper corner of the inner wall of the face plate, as in FIGS. 6 and 11, for mounting the switch S, while a heavier boss 48 may be formed at the opposite upper corner of the face plate, as in FIGS. 9 and 10, for a pivot shaft 49 of arm A. A transverse hole 50 and merging slot 51 extend through boss 49 for a purpose described later. One corner of the face plate, shown at the upper left in FIG. 6 just above switch S, is offset to accommodate a portion of arm A when overlying the face plate, so that the top surface of the arm may be flush with the top edge of the face plate when arm A is in the rest or dotted position of FIG. 6.

The lift arm A of FIG. 7 is formed as a rigid member adapted to lie transversely across the top portion of the face plate, as in FIG. 1. A boss 53 formed at an inner corner is socketed to carry the transverse mounting shaft 49, which fits in the hole 50 in the face plate F. The front side of the face plate F is inset about the hole 50, as in FIG. 9, to receive the boss 53, so that the projecting end of the boss 53 contacts the shoulder so formed, to hold the arm A at a selected position in front of the face plate. Outer end 54 of shaft 50 is enlarged and knurled so as to be attached securely to arm A, as when molded therein, while the inner end is provided with a transverse pin 55 which holds shaft 49 and arm A securely by bearing against the arcuate, planar inner surface 56 or shoulder of boss 48, as in FIG. 10. Slot 5-1 is sized to receive the lock pin 55 when the arm A is rotated to register the pin with the slot. Accordingly, the arm A is connected to and disconnected from the face plate, without tools, by inserting or retracting the shaft 49 in hole 50 with pin 55 moving through slot 51. The slot 51 is oriented to require such connection or disconnection of the arm with the face plate when the arm is about 180 degrees out of its normal position over the face plate, so that when the arm is in its normal position, the pin engages the inner shoulder 56 of the boss and even when the arm is lifted through an arc of as much as degrees, the pin will remain in engagement with the shoulder of the boss, as will be evident from the position of pin 55 in FIG. 9, which corresponds to the raised or dotted line position of FIG 1. When the arm is raised above this position, however, the pin will move around to an inclined, slight cam-like surface or ramp 57 on the boss, leading to the slot, which frees the arm and permits the arm to be removed from the unit, as for cleaning cutter head C, through removal of the arm by pulling shaft 49 through hole 50 with pin 55 in slot 51. When the arm is replaced, engagement of pin 55 with cam surface 57 will pull the arm against the face plate as it is lowered onto the top of the face plate. A rearwardly extending stop 58, on the opposite side of slot 51 from ramp 57, prevents arm A from being turned in the wrong direction after pin 55 is inserted through slot 51.

The handle portion of arm A, at the end opposite shaft 49, and as in FIG. 7, is formed with a top flange 59 which is adapted to overlie the top of the face plate F, within the offset thereof previously mentioned. When lowered, the flange 59 contacts switch S to start operation of the can opener, as will be hereinafter described. The arm A also includes a rigid, outstanding wing 60, at an intermediate position, and having a central rib 61, as in FIG. 5, on the underside of which magnet M is mounted, as by a cap screw 62, the wing also having a rear, rectangular socket 63 in which the cutter head C is mounted, as in FIGS. 5 and 9.

The components forming the driver head D, shown in FIG. 8, are mounted upon the drive shaft 35, through the outer end 65 of the shaft being threaded and drive roller 30 being internally threaded, as shown, to secure both guide roller 34 and drive roller 30 to the shaft, the guide roller having a bore to clear threads '65. Drive roller 30 may be formed integrally with guide roller 34, if desired, as for simplicity in manufacture. The direction of threads 65 is such that the threads will be tightened when turned in the direction of arrow 33 of FIG. 1, i.e. when shaft 35 is rotated. Inner end 66 of drive shaft 35 may be knurled, for a press fit in a gear of gear train T. Guide plate 40 has a central slot '67 for adjustment on bolt 41 to properly engage the circumferential groove of the guide roller 34, while each end 68 of the guide plate is arcuate and concave, not only to conform with the curvature of the guide roller 34 within the groove thereof, but also to permit the guide plate to be reversed in position, should one end become worn. Both ends of knife 38, for similar reversibility, have an inclined cutting edge 69 having a can lid piercing point 70 laterally inclined through a notch 71 which is formed, as by grinding, at a slight angle to the central axis of the knife. Knife 38 is also adjustable upwardly and downwardly through a central slot 72. Spacer 39 has a thickness to permit a precise positioning of the knife plate 3-8 alongside the face of the drive roller 30 when the guide plate 40 is within the groove of the guide roller, having a central hole 73 for bolt 41 and diametrically opposed, corner notches 74 which receive correspondingly positioned lugs 75, struck from the side of knife 38 shown in FIG. 8 but extending from the opposite side, to facilitate holding the cutter head assembly in position.

The driver head D is driven by the motor E having its speed reduced by the gear train T, so that the driver head shaft 35 rotates at a comparatively slow speed and with a high torque. The gear train T is a simple arrangement, as in FIG. 5, including a drive gear 77 mounted on the inner end of drive shaft 35 and meshing with a pinion 78 mounted upon an intermediate shaft 79 carried in a boss 45 of the face plate. An intermediate gear 80 may be formed integrally with pinion 7-8 or mounted to rotate together on the same shaft, to mesh with a pinion 8-1 on the drive shaft 82 of the motor. The motor is one of any of a number of conventional types suitable for the purpose at hand and is mounted upon the face plate by screws 83 of FIG. 6, extending through the motor and connecting in the motor support bosses 46.

The leads of the motor are connected respectively to one of wires 84 of FIG. 12 and to one wire of the electrical cord 15, heretofore mentioned, which connects with a power source, and which is connected with the control switch S. The other wire 84 of FIG. 12 is the opposite wire of cord 15, or extends from a connection of such opposite wire with one wire of cord at motor E. Thus, wires 84, as in FIG. 12, terminate at contacts 85 within the switch S, which are closed when it is desired to close the circuit and start the motor. The switch S, as in FIGS. 11 and 12, is a fork-like member formed of a rigid but resilient, synthetic resin which is also a non-conductor, and includes arms 86 and 87 extending from a base 88 attached to an integral stud 89 extending from boss 47, as

by a snap ring or a threaded collar formed of insulating material. Boss 47 may also conform to the shape of base 88, as shown, to hold the base against turning. Arms 86 and 87 extend into and are enclosed by a housing 90, formed of a suitable non-conducting material and attached, as by cementing, to the rear side of face plate F and also, if desired, to the underside of the top flange of the face plate. Housing 90 is provided with a slot 91 through which a finger 92 extends upwardly from arm 86, as well as through a corresponding slot 93 in the upper flange of face plate F, shown also in FIG. 9. Finger 92 extends upwardly a suflicient distance above the face plate flange to engage the flange 59 of the lift arm A and maintain arm A in its rest position, shown in FIG. 11. When the arm A is lifted to the dotted position of FIG. 1, a can is placed in position, and arm A is then pushed downwardly to pierce the can top, finger 92 will be moved downwardly to flange 59 to overcome the resilience of upper switch arm 86. Switch contacts are mounted by clips 94 which are connected to wires 84 and mounted in correspondingly shaped slots in the opposing faces of blocks 95 which extend laterally from the respective arms 86 and 87. As in FIG. 12, switch housing is provided with slots 96 for the wires 84 and a central rib 97 as a separator for the wires.

When finger 92 is pushed down by arm flange 59, this flexes the upper arm 86 sufficiently to engage the switch contacts 85 and then cause both switch arms to flex downwardly with a wiping action between the switch contacts, due to a small lateral shifting between the contacts when the legs are being flexed. This flexing action of both switch arms permits a variation in the positioning of the arm A when a can is being opened, such as might occur through variations in the thickness of different can rims and variations in the structure of the rim of any given can. Also, the slight wiping action between the switch contacts will tend to keep the contacts clean and minimize pitting, ordinarily caused by arcing between contacts whenever a switch is opened.

Although this invention has been illustrated and described in preferred embodiment, it will be understood that other embodiments may exist and that various changes may be made, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener having means for supporting:

a drive roller mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and adapted to engage the underside of the rim of a can placed against said drive roller;

means for rotating said drive roller;

an arm mounted for movement between a first position adjacent said drive roller and a second position above said drive roller;

knife means mounted on said arm for piercing the top of said can and for severing said can top as said can is rotated by said drive roller, said knife means including a reversible blade having at each end a slanting cutting edge and a piercing point 'at one end of said cutting edge;

a guide plate mounted on said arm and extending downwardly therefrom adjacent said knife;

a guide roller mounted for rotation with said drive roller and engaged by said guide plate, when said knife means is moved downwardly to pierce said can top, said guide plate being reversible and each end being concave and arcuate to fit within a circumferential groove of said guide roller; and

a spacing block between said knife blade and said guide plate provided with a notch at a pair of opposite corners, said knife blade being provided with a pair of laterally extending lugs disposed in position for engagement with the corresponding notch of said spacing block.

2. A can opener having means for supporting:

a drive roller mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and adapted to engage the underside of the rim of a can placed against said drive roller;

means for rotating said drive roller;

an arm mounted for movement between a first position adjacent said drive roller and a second position above said drive roller;

knife means mounted on said arm for piercing the top of said can and for severing said can top as said can is rotated by said drive roller;

means for connecting said arm to said support means for said movement between said first position adjacent said drive roller and said second position above said drive roller and for additional movement in a direction away from said first position to a third position spaced from said second position; and

means carried by said support means for cooperation with said connecting means for maintaining said arm adjacent said support means during such movement between said first, second and third positions but permitting said arm to be removed from said support means and to be replaced in said support means solely by manual movement of said arm when in said third position.

3. A can opener, as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said arm is provided with a pivot shaft at one end thereof; and

said shaft is provided with a laterally extending pin for holding said arm to said supporting means.

4. A can opener, as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said supporting means is provided with a hole through which said arm shaft is insertable and a slot alongside said hole through which said pin is insertable; and

a boss at the rear edge of said hole for engagement with said pin to hold said arm to said supporting means.

5. A can opener comprising:

a hollow, upstanding body having side walls and an upper compartment open at the front;

a face plate attached to said body and closing the front of said upper compartment;

an exposed drive roller for engaging the underside of the rim of a can mounted on a shaft extending through said face plate;

means mounted on the rear side of said face plate for driving said drive roller shaft;

an arm mounted on said face plate for movement to a lower position adjacent said drive roller and to an upper position above said drive roller;

knife means mounted on said arm and having a cutting edge depending from said arm for movement to a position disposed closely adjacent said roller, for piercing and then severing the lid of a can rotated by said drive roller;

a shaft on which said arm is pivotal, said shaft extending through a hole in said face plate;

means on the inner end of said shaft for retaining said arm in position during movement between said upper and lower positions; and

means associated with said hole in said face plate for permitting removal of said shaft from said face plate and replacement of said shaft solely by manual movement of said arm when the arm is in a position spaced from each of said upper and lower positions.

6. A can opener, as defined in claim 5, wherein:

said arm shaft retaining means comprises a laterally extending pin at the inner end of said shaft;

said face plate is provided with a slot alongside said hole, for insertion or removal of said shaft, with said pin moving through said slot; and

said face plate is provided at the rear thereof with a boss at said hole and having a shoulder for engaging said pin to retain said arm during movement of said arm between said upper and lower positions, said shoulder being spaced from said slot and said boss having a ramp extending between said slot and said shoulder, said slot being positioned so that said arm is movable to a higher position than said upper position, for removal of said arm.

7. A can opener having means for supporting:

a drive roller mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and adapted to engage the underside of the rim of a can placed against said drive roller;

means for rotating said drive roller;

an arm mounted for movement between a position adjacent said drive roller and a position above said drive roller;

knife means mounted on said arm for piercing the top of said can and for severing said can top as said can is rotated by said drive roller;

said arm being provided with a forwardly extending wing disposed above said drive roller, said wing having a rectangular socket on the rear side;

said knife means including a rectangular blade having a slanted cutting edge at each end for reversibility;

a rectangular, reversible guide plate having concave, arcuate ends disposed rearwardly of said knife in said socket;

a spacing block disposed between said knife blade and said guide plate, said knife blade and said spacing block having interfitting means to maintain said knife blade in position;

removable attaching means extending through said guide plate, said spacing block and said knife blade and into said wing for holding said guide plate, block and knife blade in said wing; and

a guide roller having a circumferential groove engaged by said guide plate, when said arm is moved downwardly, and mounted on a shaft adjacent said drive roller to maintain the relative position of the drive roller and knife blade during the severing operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,883,745 4/1959 Bristol 30-4 1,826,324 10/1931 Ormsby 30-15 3,254,406 6/ 1966 Hubrick 304 3,002,274 10/1961 Jepson et al 304 2,017,829 10/1935 Cave 308.5 3,018,549 1/1962 Spielman 30-4 3,031,751 5/1962 Hart 304 1,986,870 1/1935 West 3015.5

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

